Hinges are almost universally used in flip mobile phones. The mobile phones typically include two housings. Normally, one of the housings, called a main body, contains most of the electronic elements of the mobile phone. The other housing, called a cover, contains fewer or even no electronic elements. The hinges are used to interconnect the main body and the cover, and to enable the cover to be foldable relative to the main body.
One kind of hinge mechanism is illustrated in FIG. 5. The hinge mechanism 500 includes: a cam 510 having a wedge-shaped portion 512 on one end, and a engaging portion 514 on the other end which is used for engaging with a cover of the mobile phone; a corresponding cam follower 520 having two jaws 522; and a spring 530 for pressing the cam follower 520 to urge against the cam 510. The cam 510, the cam follower 520 and the spring 530 are received in a hinge housing 540, which is, in turn, covered by a hinge cover 550. The hinge housing 540 and hinge cover 550 are engaged with a body of the mobile phone. In use, the wedge-shaped portion 512 moves along the jaws 522. The cam 510 together with the cover rotates relative to the body of the mobile phone in a predetermined direction. However, the rotating range of the cover is limited. In addition, the rotation of the hinge mechanism 500 is unstable.
What is needed, therefore, is a hinge adapted for mounting between a main body and a cover of a mobile phone, the hinge being capable of providing stable rotation therebetween.